Shloka 37

Devanagari script

एते प्रशमने योगा महास्त्रस्थ परंतप । सर्वथा पीडितो हि स्यादवध्यान्‌ पीडयन्‌ रणे,'शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले द्रोण! युद्धभूमिमें रथ छोड़कर उतर जाना, अपने अस्त्र- शस्त्र रख देना, अभयकी याचना करना और शत्रुकी शरण लेना--ये इस महान्‌ अस्त्रको शान्त करनेके उपाय हैं। जो रणभूमिमें इस अस्त्रके द्वारा अवध्य मनुष्योंको पीड़ा देता है, वह स्वयं भी सब प्रकारसे पीड़ित हो सकता है”

Transliteration

ete praśamane yogā mahāstrasya parantapa | sarvathā pīḍito hi syād avadhyān pīḍayan raṇe ||

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。――「敵を灼く者よ、あの大いなる武器を鎮める手立てはこれである。戦場で戦車を降り、武器を捨て、無畏を乞い、敵のもとに身を寄せて庇護を求めよ。なぜなら、この強大な矢をもって、本来討たれるべきでない者を苦しめる者は、みずからもあらゆる形で苦患に見舞われ得るからだ。」

Word by Word

एतेthese

प्रशमनेin pacification / for quelling

योगाःmeans, methods

महास्त्रस्थO one stationed in/possessing a great weapon (O mighty-armed)

परंतपO scorcher of foes

सर्वथाin every way, wholly

पीडितःafflicted, tormented

हिindeed, for

स्यात्would be / may become

अवध्यान्those who must not be slain / inviolable persons

पीडयन्afflicting, tormenting

रणेin battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

mahāstra (great weapon/astra)

raṇa (battlefield)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war, dharma imposes limits: a ‘great weapon’ should be restrained and pacified, and using it to harm those deemed ‘avadhya’ (not to be slain) rebounds as suffering upon the aggressor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes to the listener the recognized procedures for calming a powerful astra—dismounting, laying down weapons, requesting safety, and taking refuge—while warning that tormenting protected persons with such a weapon can lead to severe consequences for the user.